Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II DVD Home Entertainment System - DVD surround system - radio / DVD - silver
From BOSE
The Bose 3?2?1 GS II DVD home entertainment system puts you at the center of exciting home theater with greater simplicity and fewer wires. Just two visible Gemstone speaker arrays - the smallest, most powerful 3?2?1 speakers - and a hideaway Acoustimass module deliver enhanced sound performance from almost anything you watch. Setup is simple: no center or rear speakers means no wiring to the back of your room. An elegant media center features a progressive scan DVD/CD player with AM/FM tuner. And an easy-to-use universal remote control is programmable to run most of your entertainment devices together with your system.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #70 in Home Theater
- Brand: Bose
- Model: 321GS SERIES II
The Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II progressive-scan DVD home entertainment system packs greater visceral power, broader media flexibility, and richer sound into an even less obtrusive speaker set. Half the size of the original 3-2-1 system's speakers, Bose's patented Gemstone speaker array works in concert with the system's TrueSpace surround processing to deliver a spacious, multichannel presentation from just 2 visible speakers and a hideaway Acoustimass module.
The system comes with a central DVD/CD media center, a pair of shelf speakers, a powered Acoustimass module (subwoofer), and everything you need to hook it all up with ease. Using Bose TrueSpace proprietary digital processing circuitry, the 3-2-1 GS.II system improves the sense of spaciousness imparted by stereo recordings and exciting movie effects from Dolby Digital and DTS surround-encoded materials. Yet its few parts require little effort to set up, so you can enjoy your new system's performance right away--it even comes with a helpful system setup and demo disc.
The DVD/CD player plays your DVD-Video movies (select from NTSC and PAL video formats) and CD-based music, including MP3 files written to recordable CD-R or CD-RW (including artist and title information display). Disc features include repeat and random play, DVD parental controls, forward and reverse chapter/track skip, and scanning within tracks.
Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the 3-2-1 GS.II's media center is equipped to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.
Proprietary Videostage 5 decoding circuitry goes beyond conventional digital technology to bring new life to old movies and music. It gives you a surround sound experience from practically any source, including older media such as videotapes, stereo CDs, even mono TV programs. Advanced post-processing techniques automatically deliver a clear, on-screen audio center image and balanced surround sound, similar to that of a 5.1-encoded DVD.
In the Bose Acoustimass module, 2 downward-firing drivers give you powerful performance for the lowest audible notes and effects. And proprietary Bose technology ensures that you hear with clarity the proper balance of deep lows from all channels for music and movies. Hide the module almost anywhere, even behind furniture, and all the sound seems to come from the small cube speaker arrays.
Other features include AM/FM tuning with 40 preset stations (20 FM, 20 AM), a sleep timer (1 to 90 minutes), and console input jacks for connecting other source components (such as a VCR, DSS, CD changer, or tape deck).
If you have other Bose hardware already in place--a Wave music system, a 3-2-1 Series II DVD system, or a Lifestyle system--you can hook it up to this 3-2-1 GS.II system using an optional 50-foot Bose link B connection cable to extend your entertainment to an additional listening area. You can also expand upon the 3-2-1- GS.II system later by integrating it with a Lifestyle system.
What's in the Box
An integrated AM/FM tuner and DVD/CD player (media center); 2 shelf speakers with rubber feet; a floor-standing Acoustimass module (subwoofer) with rubber feet; AM/FM antennas; an antenna stand; a module cable; a system speaker cable; a composite-video cable; a stereo analog audio interconnect (red/white RCA); an infrared remote control; remote batteries; an AC power cord; a user's manual; a quick-setup guide; a setup and demo disc; and warranty information.
Note: Bose recommends that you maintain at least 3 feet (1 meter) of space between the 2 speakers with no more than 3 feet (1 meter) between each speaker and the edge of your TV screen.
For what it is, it's outstanding
After jumping on and then off this system's band wagon about 40 times in the last month, my wife and I finally decided to get this system. When I decided that I was finally going to break down and get some speakers, cause the ones in my TV were going out, I originally saw this system in a infomercial and fell in love with it, just because of it's simplicity. After reading the reviews online, I have to admit I was leery about it, since it didn't really shine to some people. But after visiting a factory store this last weekend in Las Vegas and getting to hear this system, I realized for what it is, it is outstanding.
First of all, if you are wanting full 5.1 or 7.1 system, don't buy this. If you want to run the wires to get the true surround sound, this system isn't what you are looking for. Know what you are buying people.
But if you are looking for an adequate solution to better sounding TV, games and DVD's, then this is the system for you. These little speakers and subwoofer are able to bounce sound off of walls to make you feel like you are surrounded in sound. We have a big living room were this is set up, and it works great. In a 15 X 25 room with vaulted ceilings, it still sounds great. We watch Mission Impossible II as our first full length movie and it delivered like were were at a theater. We then put in the grand daddy of tests for me. Jurassic Park. The T-Rex scene was clear and loud and scary as ever.
Set up was really easy too. Took me about 2 hours, but that was because I was being really careful to keep my cords organized and also being really lazy by not pulling the TV out from the wall. The DVD until runs well with my Direct TV and Xbox. I can't wait to load up a game and see how the sound is on that. As far as regular TV viewing, we watched the Grammy's last night, and you could hear the crowd noise like it was around you, not just coming at you.
All in all, this unit is exceptional. For what it is, it is great. True, it isn't the same as a true surround sound system, but I don't think it claims to be. We bought this system as a starter, cause when we build a new house we are going to run the speaker wire to do a true system and them move this one to our master bedroom for future use.
We used this with a 10 year old TV too, and it's like the TV is brand new. We plan on adding a 46 flat screen in the near future, so I can only imagine the experience will get better.
My recommendation, take these reviews (even mine) with a grain of salt. Try to find a factory store where you can go and hear them in person, then come here to buy if you want. They also have great deals on refurbished systems, which carry the same warranty that the new systems do. You can save 300 bucks just to buy one that someone returned because they didn't like it and get the same warranty.
Great sound and easy to setup
After spending 4 weeks investigating wireless home theater system. I realized that they are not really wireless. So finally I came across this Bose 321 GS II System. I went to my local electronic store to listen to the sound and I was blown away. The price is not cheap but you really get what you pay for. The sound quality is excellent. I can't believe this is only from two speakers and a subwoofer. Now I am even able to listen to my regular TV program in surround sound. The setup process is easy to get you started. Everything you need is included in the box. The universal remote control is great. Now I am only using one for my TV, VCR, and Cable box. If you want to take full advantage of this BOSE system then you might want to think about buying extra cables which is all described in the setup CD.
Poor, Waste of money
Well, I had Bose 321 for about 2 years, never felt great or worth the money. When they came out with 321 GS series, I called the Bose sales department to check, what are the improvements? Needless to say, tons of changes and improvements is what they said. After I bought the system, honestly I did find any damn changes or improvements, only change is speakers are small.
Negatives issues:
Sound: bit of distortion and humming noise, sent to bose for repair twice, (not solved).
DVD Player: Does not work most of time.
Remote control: worst, you have to point it directly to the media center, if not it will not work.
Subwoofer: is ok, not the best.
Positive feedback:
System looks pretty and simple.
Will I ever buy another bose product? Absolutely not, I take no pleasure in fooling myself beyond second time.
